


To Shed

by Prettybadger



Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Snake Crowley (Good Omens)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-12
Updated: 2019-08-12
Packaged: 2020-08-23 20:57:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20221597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prettybadger/pseuds/Prettybadger
Summary: Crowley just wants to enjoy his snake form.





	To Shed

When Crawley had come up out of the ground as his snake form it had been weird. A world that had once been bright and colorful was now only a few colors. It was truly odd. He decided to explore this “new” world. He tasted the air as he explored, crawled up trees, stalked the other animals, and stayed far away from the gates that held angels. 

It was yet another day he was exploring when a Woman came up to him and smiled. She introduced herself as Eve and asked what his name was. She explained she didn’t remember Adam naming a snake that looked like him. He hadn’t spoken, snakes don’t talk after all, and had simply crawled away. 

Not even a few hours later Eve had found him again and yet again asked him what his was. He had bitterly told her that asking question wasn’t a good idea. She had smiled at him again, who in their right mind smiles at a demon, and said shed stop if he just told her his name. He finally did and she asked him if he would like to walk with her. He had reluctantly agreed. 

After that whenever Eve would stumble upon him, she would carry him with her and just talk about her day. She told him of the new animals Adam had named. It wasn’t until she walked by the apple tree did he realize he needed to cause some trouble. So, he whispered to Eve. He told her how delicious the apple had been, told her how she and Adam would love it. As Eve went and got Adam Crawley felt something swell in his small chest. He curled in on himself and told himself snakes don’t feel things. Once they ate the apple, Eve changed and it saddened Crawley, though if you were to ask him he would refuse to answer you. 

She no longer came to talk to the clever and talkative snake she had befriended. When she saw him she turned tail and ran. The last time Crawley saw her was atop the Eastern Gate with that angel Arizaphale. It hurt like, well, Hell to watch his friend to leave. 

It was years later after the flood, he was in the desert. He honestly had no idea why he had decided to do this. Crowley could have simply flown over to where he needed to be. He had decided, however, to get in touch with his true form. What Crowley hadn’t taken into account was that snakes get thirsty. Snakes get very thirsty and hungry and he hadn’t seen anything but sand for hours. And now he was far too tired and weak to change into his human form. With a serpentine sigh he slithered towards a small area of shadow. 

He jerked awake (when had he fallen asleep?) when he felt a familiar angelic presence. Aziraphale was nearby, maybe he could get Crowley to a better area. He slithered tiredly towards where the angel might be and almost sighed in relief upon spotting the angel. 

Aziraphale he could already feel the headache as he reached out towards the angel. 

“Hello? Did someone say my name?” The angel looked around a confused look on his face. 

Down, angel. The angel muttered to himself before looking down. 

“Oh! Crowley, what are you doing?” Couldn’t the angel just pick him up? It wasn’t easy talking in this form. 

Pick up, angel? His head was pounding, he refused to actually use grammar. 

“Oh, uh, I suppose. Are you okay, dear boy?” He hoped he looked like he was shaking his head despite being a snake. “Well, I guess even snakes can get over heated.” He glared at the angel. Aziraphale bent down and offered his arm. Crowley slithered up his arm and curled around his neck. He scented the air, accidently licking the angel’s ear, who wiggled slightly. 

He stayed curled around the angel as they made their way through the desert. Crowley was reminded of how Eve would let him curl around as they wondered Eden. He hissed, which caused Aziraphale to ask if everything was alright? Yes, just go he had hissed. He wanted out this desert now. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

As time passed Crowley realized he shed. Oh, he hated shedding. If he was in a human form, he was never comfortable. He would have to change and just hope it ended quickly. He absolutely hated it when the skin went over his eyes. He would be so uncomfortable and Crowley hated being uncomfortable. He had learned over the years that being in a warm bath helped to shed faster. 

It was beyond humiliating and embarrassing when Aziraphale found him in the middle of his shedding a few year after the whole Holy Water business in St. James. For some reason Crowley still didn’t know, the angel had come to his apartment not from his new bookshop. The angel had come in when no one answered his knock to see a snake curled up on a rock by the window.Unable to see, Crowley had hissed at the angel and been ready to strike. 

“Calm down, my dear boy. Its only me! I hadn’t heard anything from you and wanted to make sure you hadn’t been discorporated.” Aziraphale said soothingly. “Are you alright? You don’t look.. Well right. I mean no offense so stop hissing!” 

Shedding, sleeping. Leave? Crowley was too tired to deal with this, with him right now. 

“I’m not going to just leave you like this, Crowley! I didn’t even know you shed. I can help you, if you want it that is.” Crowley hissed, snapped at the angel in front of him. 

Don’t need help, leave. Of course, that was a lie. He would’ve liked someone to peel this off but no demon worth their salt would let a angel help them. 

“Are you sure? You look miserable.” Crowley hissed again, but held his head out. How did the angel destroy his resolve so easily? 

Eyes? Aziraphale huffed but leaned down and gently pulled the dead skin from his eyes. Crowley sighed in relief. He rubbed his side over Azirphale’s hand. The angel hummed and let the snake rub against him. Crowley may have been embarrassed but he wanted the dead skin gone. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

After the Apocawhoopsnevermind, Crowley refused to leave Aziraphales side. When the angel was in the store customers were shocked to see a small snake wrapped around the store owners neck. The snake was usually asleep, but every now the snake would open its eyes and hiss at whoever was near. 

Crowley would never admit it but Aziraphale was so wonderful warm. What shocked Crowley was how willing Aziraphale was at carrying his snake form around. As time passed, Aziraphale realized when Crowley would shed and would keep the temperatures raised. He also made sure there were flat areas by the windows for a certain snake to lay there all the snake wanted.


End file.
